Nonlinear subcyclotron resonance as a formationmechanism for gaps in banded chorus

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Abstract
An interesting characteristic of magnetospheric chorus is the presence of a frequency gap at ω≃0.5Ωe, where Ωe is the electron cyclotron angular frequency. Recent chorus observations sometimes show additional gaps near 0.3Ωe and 0.6Ωe. Here we present a novel nonlinear mechanism for the formation of these gaps using Hamiltonian theory and test particle simulations in a homogeneous, magnetized, collisionless plasma. We find that an oblique whistler wave with frequency at a fraction of the electron cyclotron frequency can resonate with electrons, leading to effective energy exchange between the wave and particles.
Year of Publication
2015
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Date Published
05/2015
URL
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/2015GL064182
DOI
10.1002/2015GL064182
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